556TH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON, MEDIUM

Tabasco
Martin B-26B-20-MA Marauder
Sn: 41-31686
Squadron Code: FW-B

        Tabasco was one of the original cadre of B-26s that formed the 556th Bomb. Squadron. The crew to which the aircraft was originally assigned and that flew the aircraft from the United States to England. That crew was:
 

That crew formed the name from the first letters of their last names plus an "O" for "others," meaning the ground crew. Flight Chief M/Sgt. Edward J. Bearden accompanied the aircraft on its trip to England.

        Jim Delong took the picture of Tabasco shown below while it was flying on his left wing. "It is one of the few good pictures I took with a cheap, little plastic camera. Using Manny Campbell's little developing kit and under a blanket for a dark room, I developed the negative. Manny lived just across the room from me in Hut #14 during our entire stay at station 162. In the photo the name does not show up well, but yet you can see Campbell and Burton Anderson in the cockpit and of course the little "Varga Girl" on the vertical stabilizer--also the last two letters of its number, 41-3168."

        Jim Taylor, a Togglier in an adjacent aircraft, remembered that the loss occurred on his ninth mission, as they were preparing to start their bomb run. "For some reason, I was looking at Tabasco and admiring her colorful name and painting of the flames that seemed to be engulfing her nose from behind the Bombardier's position to the cockpit. I can still see the words "Hot Stuff" below the pilot's side window. There was a sudden wrenching of the plane--no explosion, fire or smoke. She rose, slowed down and drifted out of my sight. Others watched the descent. As I remember it, pieces of the ship flew back, smashing the windshield of one of our Squadron's planes."

        Two asterisks mean the mission was executed and credited, whether or not successful. One asterisk means the aircraft penetrated enemy airspace but failed to drop its bomb load on target, usually due to obstructing clouds. Strikeout means the aircraft was assigned to but not credited with a mission. NTO means no take off.

       DATE   RESULT TARGET                                           PILOT
    24-Aug-43  **     Diversion                                         Campbell
    02-Sep-43  *      Lille-Nord Airfield                               Campbell
    03-Sep-43  **     Lille-Nord Airfield                               Brown
    04-Sep-43  **     Coutrai marshalling yard                          Brown
    06-Sep-43  **     Serqueux marshalling yard                         Campbell
    09-Sep-43  **     Boulogne area coastal defenses                    Campbell
    15-Sep-43  **     Merville Airfield                                 Campbell
    18-Sep-43  **     Beauvais-Tille Airfield                           Campbell
    18-Sep-43         Beaumont le Roger Recalled-no escort              Campbell
    19-Sep-43  *      Lille-Nord Airfield                               Campbell
    23-Sep-43  **     Conches Airfield                                  Campbell
    24-Sep-43  **     Evreaux-Fauville Airfield                         Campbell
    25-Sep-43  **     St. Omer-Longuenesse Airfield                     Campbell
    27-Sep-43  **     Beauvais-Tille Airfield                           --?--
    02-Oct-43  *      St. Omer-Longuenesse Airfield                     Harrison
    03-Oct-43  **     Woensdrecht Airfield                              Harrison
    09-Oct-43  **     Woensdrecht Airfield                              Campbell
    18-Oct-43         Evreaux-Fauville Airfield-Rendevous not made with escort Davis
    22-Oct-43  **     Evreaux-Fauville Airfield                         Weise
    22-Oct-43  *      Cambrai-Epinoy Airfield                           Weise
    24-Oct-43  **     Beauvais-Nivillers Airfield                       Campbell
    03-Nov-43  **     St. Andre de l'Eure Airfield                      Campbell
    05-Nov-43  **     Mimoyecques V-1 site                              Campbell
    07-Nov-43  *      Montdidier Airfield                               Sullivan
    10-Nov-43  *      Lille-Vendeville Airfield                         DeBolt
    19-Nov-43  *      Evreaux-Fauville Airfield                         Campbell
    26-Nov-43  *      Cambrai-Epinoy Airfield                           Campbell
    29-Nov-43         Cambrai-Epinoy Airfield Recalled-weather          Campbell
    01-Dec-43  **     Cambrai-Epinoy Airfield                           Shober
    04-Dec-43  *      Chievres Airfield                                 Campbell
    05-Dec-43  *      Ligescourt-Bois de St. Saulve V-1 site            Campbell
    20-Dec-43  *      Le Meillard-Bonniers V-1 site                     Campbell
    21-Dec-43  **     Berk-sur-Mer Airfield                             Campbell
    22-Dec-43  *      Le Meillard-Bonniers Airfield                     Campbell
    24-Dec-43  *      Le Meillard-Bonniers V-1 site                     Morris
    30-Dec-43  *      Le Meillard-Bonniers V-1 site                     Campbell
    31-Dec-43  **     Cormette V-1 site                                 Campbell
    04-Jan-44  **     Eclimeaux V-1 site                                --?--
    07-Jan-44  *      La Glacerie coastal defenses                      Campbell
    14-Jan-44  **     Liagnem V-1 site                                  Campbell
    24-Jan-44  **     Maison Ponthieu V-1 site                          Sanders
    25-Jan-44         Bois Rempre V-1 site Abort-weather                Powell
    03-Feb-44  *      Ruisseauville V-1 site                            Finney
    05-Feb-44  *      Bois Rempre V-1 site                              Campbell
    08-Feb-44  **     Losterbarne-Ardes V-1 site                        Campbell
    08-Feb-44  **     Cambrai-Niergnies Airfield                        Campbell
    09-Feb-44  **     Belleville en Caux V-1 site                       Anderson
    10-Feb-44  **     Beauvais-Tille V-1 site                           Will
    11-Feb-44  **     Amiens marshalling yard                           Will
    13-Feb-44  **     Hambures V-1 site                                 Campbell
    15-Feb-44  **     La Glacerie V-1 site                              Campbell
    15-Feb-44  **     Chateau de Bosmelet V-1 site                      Campbell
    20-Feb-44         Eindhoven Abort-no escort                         Higgs
    21-Feb-44  *      Soesterberg Airfield                              Landsborough
    22-Feb-44         Soesterberg Airfield Abort-missed rendezvous with escort  Cook
    24-Feb-44  **     Leeuwarden Airfield                               Clark
    24-Feb-44  **     Ray-sur-Authie V-1 site                           Clark
    25-Feb-44  **     Venlo Airfield                                    Campbell
    25-Feb-44  *      La Longueville V-1 site                           Campbell
    28-Feb-44  **     Vacqueriette V-1 site                             Campbell
    29-Feb-44  *      Behen V-1 site                                    Campbell
    01-Mar-44  **     Linghem V-1 site                                  Campbell
    02-Mar-44  **     Amiens marshalling yard                           Campbell
    03-Mar-44  **     Montdidier Airfield                               Campbell
    04-Mar-44  *      Malines V-1 site                                  Campbell
    05-Mar-44  **     Vacqueriette V-1 site                             Campbell
    06-Mar-44  **     Bois des Huit Rues V-1 site                       Campbell
    07-Mar-44  *      Aulnoye V-1 site                                  --?--
    08-Mar-44  **     Soesterberg Airfield                              Campbell
    08-Mar-44         Soesterberg Airfield Recalled-no escort           Campbell
    13-Mar-44  *      Lettingham-Les Grandes V-1 site                   Eastman
    18-Mar-44         Croisette V-1 site Abort                          Sanders
    19-Mar-44         Foret Nationale de Tourhem V-1 site Recalled-weather  Sanders
    20-Mar-44  **     Criel marshalling yard                            Sanders
    23-Mar-44  **     Haine St. Pierre marshalling yard                 Ayer
    26-Mar-44  **     Ijmuiden E-boat pens                              Ayer
    10-Apr-44  **     Le Havre coastal defenses                         Campbell
    11-Apr-44  **     Bonniers V-1 site                                 Campbell
    12-Apr-44  **     Dunkerque coastal defenses                        Roe
    13-Apr-44         Namur marshalling yard NTO-starter malfunction    --?--
    18-Apr-44  **     Charleroi-St. Martin Airfield                     Ayer
    19-Apr-44  *      Dieppe coastal defenses                           Bartley
    19-Apr-44  **     Malines marshalling yard                          Bartley
    20-Apr-44  **     Bois Coqueral Airfield                            Felker
    24-Apr-44  **     Benerville coastal defenses                       Felker
    24-Apr-44  *      Beauvoir V-1 site                                 Devennish
    25-Apr-44  **     Beauvoir V-1 site                                 Adelman
    27-Apr-44  **     Wimeaux V-1 site                                  Hanna
    10-May-44  **     Criel marshalling yard                            Sullivan
    10-May-44  **     Oissel bridge                                     Tribby
    12-May-44  **     La Parnelle coastal defenses                      Clark
    13-May-44  **     Fort Mardick coastal defenses                     Hinton
    15-May-44  *      Douai marshalling yard                            Cook
    19-May-44  **     Quisterham coastal defenses                       Ayer
    20-May-44  **     Benerville coastal defenses                       Fisher
    20-May-44  **     Fecamp coastal defenses                           Fisher
    24-May-44  **     La Parnelle coastal defenses                      Adelman
    04-Jun-44  **     Calais-March (Marck?) field battery               Miner
    06-Jun-44  **     Madelaine coastal defenses                        Hinton
556 07-Jun-44 a  ** Rennes bridge & junction  Tabasco Fisher
557 08-Jun-44 a  ** Pontaubault railroad junction  Tabasco Moriarty
558 10-Jun-44 b  ** Bretteville defended area  Tabasco Fisher
559 12-Jun-44 a  ** Vire road junction  Tabasco Ayer
560 13-Jun-44 a  ** Domfront fuel dump  Tabasco Moriarty
561 14-Jun-44 b  ** Ambrieres road junction  Tabasco Anthon
562 18-Jun-44 a  ** Rennes marshalling yard  Tabasco Goade
563 21-Jun-44 a  ** Zudausques V-1 site  Tabasco Goade
564 21-Jun-44 b  ** Bois d'Esquerdes V-1 site  Tabasco Helbock
565 22-Jun-44 a  ** Cherbourg tank trap [coordinates 0-159175] Tabasco Moriarty
566 23-Jun-44 a  ** Remainsil V-1 site  Tabasco McClung
567 25-Jun-44 b  ** Foret de Senoches fuel dump  Tabasco Cook
568 05-Jul-44 a  ** Caen bridges  Tabasco Minkler
569 06-Jul-44 a  ** Cloyes railroad/highway bridge  Tabasco Minkler
570 07-Jul-44 a  * Chartres troop concentration & mechanized armor  Tabasco Hinton
571 08-Jul-44 a  ** Nantes Gassicourt bridge  Tabasco Goade
572 09-Jul-44 a  * Nantes Gassicourt bridge  Tabasco Cook
573 12-Jul-44 a ? ** Nantes Gassicourt bridge  Tabasco Cook
574 14-Jul-44 a  ** Merey railroad bridge  Tabasco Fisher
575 18-Jul-44 a  ** Demouville Area D troop concentration  Tabasco Helbock
576 19-Jul-44 a  ** Tours railroad bridge  Tabasco Minkler
577 23-Jul-44 a  ** Serquigny railroad bridge  Tabasco Campbell
578 24-Jul-44 a   Livart Airfield Abort-engine problem Tabasco Jones
579 25-Jul-44 a  ** St. Lo toop concentration  Tabasco Minkler
580 28-Jul-44 a  ** Bourth railroad embankment  Tabasco Anthon
581 01-Aug-44 a  ** Maintenon railroad bridge  Tabasco Cline
582 04-Aug-44 a  * St. Remi-sur-Avre bridge  Tabasco Anthon
583 12-Aug-44 a  * Corbell railroad siding  Tabasco Harrison
584 15-Aug-44 a  ** Auvers-sur-Oise railroad bridge  Tabasco Fisher
585 28-Aug-44 a  ** Querieu fuel dump  Tabasco Haskell
586 06-Sep-44 a  ** Brest strong points  Tabasco Alexander
587 06-Sep-44 b  ** Brest strong points  Tabasco Van Cleave
588 10-Sep-44 a  ** Foret de Haye installations  Tabasco Hinton
589 12-Sep-44 b  ** Foret de Haye installations  Tabasco Alexander
590 21-Sep-44 a  ** Ehrang marshalling yard  Tabasco Helbock
591 27-Sep-44 a ? * Foret de Haye installations  Tabasco Anderson
592 05-Oct-44 a  * Duren ammunition dump  Tabasco Forgue
593 06-Oct-44 a  ** Duren ammunition dump  Tabasco George
594 07-Oct-44 a  ** Bullay railroad bridge  Tabasco George
595 11-Oct-44 a ? ** Camp de Bitche installations  Tabasco Williams
596 19-Nov-44 a  ** Merzig strong point  Tabasco Purvis
597 21-Nov-44 a  * Birgel defended area  Tabasco DeMouche
598 29-Nov-44 a  ** Limberg ordnance depot  Tabasco Anderson
599 30-Nov-44 a  ** Pirmasens railroad tunnel  Tabasco Fisher
600 01-Dec-44 a  ** Saarlautern defended area  Tabasco Muselman
601 02-Dec-44 a  ** Saarlautern defended area  Tabasco Ledbetter
602 05-Dec-44 a ? * Raichenbach supply dump  Tabasco Purvis
603 06-Dec-44 a   Dulmen fuel dump Recalled-no escort Tabasco Purvis
604 06-Dec-44 b  * Mariaweiller defended village  Tabasco Fritts
605 09-Dec-44 a ? ** Ahrweiler-Lebach defended area  Tabasco Bullock
606 23-Dec-44 b  ** Prum defended area  Tabasco Williams
607 02-Jan-45 a  ** Bad Munster railroad bridge  Tabasco Moffet
608 13-Jan-45 a  ** Simmern railroad bridge  Tabasco --?--
609 14-Jan-45 a  ** Ahrweiler railroad bridge  Tabasco Purvis
610 16-Jan-45 a  ** Erkelenz rail & communication center  Tabasco Henderson
611 22-Jan-45 a  ** Dasburg highway bridge  Tabasco Magowan
612 03-Feb-45 a  ** Sinzig railroad bridge  Tabasco Magowan
613 06-Feb-45 a  ** Wittlach-Guthenthal stong points  Tabasco Henderson
614 08-Feb-45 a  ** Calcar defended town  Tabasco Moffet
615 09-Feb-45 a  ** Vierson communication center  Tabasco Meckall
616 15-Feb-45 a   Sellingen ordnance depot Recalled Tabasco Magowan
617 16-Feb-45 a  ** Rees communication center  Tabasco Magowan
618 19-Feb-45 a  ** Niederscheld marshalling yard  Tabasco Avery
619 21-Feb-45 a  ** Haltern marshalling yard  Tabasco Patterson
620 22-Feb-45 a  ** Nuttlar-Dulman railroad bridge  Tabasco Forgue
621 23-Feb-45 a  ** Buir supply point  Tabasco Donnan
622 24-Feb-45 a  ** Vlatten communication center  Tabasco Forgue
623 24-Feb-45 b  ** Mulenbach-Duan overpasses  Tabasco Stroud
624 25-Feb-45 a  ** Gettingen railroad bridge  Tabasco Fleisher
625 25-Feb-45 b  ** Ahrweiler railroad bridge  Tabasco Stroud
    01-Mar-45  **     Rheinbach communication center                 Magowan
    02-Mar-45  **     Iserlohn barracks area                         Muselman
    02-Mar-45  **     Giessen ordnance depot                         Henderson
    03-Mar-45  **     Wermelskirchen ordnance depot                  Forgue
    13-Mar-45  **     Westerberg marshalling yard                    Tabasco
    13-Mar-45         Frankfurt Rhein-Main Airfield Abt-crewman ill  Magowan
    14-Mar-45  **     Gross Ostheim Airfield                         Donnan
    15-Mar-45  **     Pirmasens supply & communication center        Magowan
    16-Mar-45  **     Landau communication center                    Donnan
    17-Mar-45  **     Siegen marshalling yard                        Helbock
    17-Mar-45  **     Frankenberg marshalling yard                   Donnan
    18-Mar-45  *      Worms road junction                            Magowan Pallene English Cross Martin Parker